No permanent friends or foes in today’s world: CDS General Anil Chauhan

Pune: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday cautioned against relying on the traditional notion of permanent friends or fixed adversaries, saying that in today's rapidly evolving global security environment, such assumptions are increasingly unreliable.Addressing a seminar on Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation (JAI) organised by the Southern Command, he said strategic alignments across the world are becoming fluid, transactional and driven by short-term national interests, making it difficult to clearly define allies, adversaries or partners in advance.
"In today's world, it is increasingly difficult to define who are your friends, who are your allies, who are your adversaries and who are your enemies," the CDS said, underlining India must be prepared mentally, structurally and materially to act independently whenever national interests demand.General Chauhan said partnerships remain valuable but cannot substitute for indigenous capability or strategic autonomy. "Partnerships are effective only when they align with national interests. They cannot replace the freedom of choice that comes from self-reliance," he said.Highlighting the changing character of global geopolitics, the CDS pointed to the rise of coercive nationalism and economic weaponisation, where trade, supply chains, technology access, data and critical resources are increasingly used as tools of strategic leverage. He said the earlier assumptions of seamless globalisation and convergence are giving way to fragmentation, social polarisation and competitive nationalism.General Chauhan said the world is also witnessing a departure from established norms of state behaviour, with concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity being increasingly questioned. "Might is increasingly becoming right, and the rule-based order is under strain," he said.The CDS stressed that modern conflict is no longer defined by declared wars but by proxy warfare, sub-threshold operations, cyber activity and sustained information campaigns. Cognitive and information warfare, he said, are emerging as central battle spaces aimed at fracturing societal cohesion and paralysing decision-making without triggering conventional military responses.In this context, General Chauhan emphasised that victory — Vijay — cannot be measured through rhetoric or symbolic destruction. "Enduring victory lies in demonstrated evidence and verifiable outcomes, not in temporary damage to infrastructure or slogans of success," he said.Linking victory to the concept of JAI, the CDS said the framework is essential for addressing future security challenges. Jointness, he explained, is not merely an organisational reform but a mindset that demands integrated planning across domains. Atmanirbharta represents strategic autonomy, not isolation, while innovation must permeate doctrines, leadership, training and institutional culture.Drawing from India's strategic heritage, General Chauhan said true victory lies in overcoming internal vulnerabilities — outdated doctrines, organisational silos and colonial mindsets. "JAI is not just about defeating an adversary. It is equally about victory over inertia, prejudice and institutional comfort," he said.As global uncertainties deepen, the CDS concluded, India's security preparedness must be rooted in independent thinking, indigenous capability and the ability to adapt swiftly in a world where alliances can no longer be taken for granted.Southern Army commander Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth said achieving self-reliance is the most essential thing in the current security dynamics. "And therefore we need to emphasise this thought through seminars like JAI, where all stakeholders will come together and brainstorm their thinking to achieve the operational objectives of the force," said Seth.Several senior Army officers from all formations of the command, Army veterans and academics were present on the occasion. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Valentine's day wishes, messages and quotes !